ARS | Publication request: Infusion-Baited Ovitraps to Survey Ovipositional Height Preferences of Container-Breeding Mosquitoes in Two Florida Habitats

Submitted to: Journal of Medical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: September 10, 2009
Publication Date: October 30, 2009
Citation: Obenauer, P.J., Kaufman, P.E., Allan, S.A., Kline, D.L. 2009. Infusion-baited ovitraps to survey ovipositional height preferences of container-inhabiting mosquitoes in two Florida habitats. Journal of Medical Entomology. 46(6):1507-1513.

Interpretive Summary: Container-breeding mosquitoes such as the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, has become the focus of intense control and surveillance efforts due to its importance as backyard nuisance and effective vector for dengue, West Nile virus and other arboviruses. Critical to these efforts is the ability to effectively sample populations in natural sites. In this study conducted in conjunction with USDA’s Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology (CMAVE) in Gainesville (Florida), the responses of Aedes albopictus were examined for using ovitraps baited with different infusions and placed at different heights in suburban residential and sylvatic habitats. Over 5 species of mosquitoes were trapped with the most responding to oak and oak-pine infusions. More eggs Ae. albopictus were collected at 1 m compared to 6 m above the ground, however, more eggs of Aedes triseriatus were collected at 6 m. This information provides the basis for development of a targeted sampling strategy for this species for determination of local nuisance population levels and arbovirus incidence.

Technical Abstract: The response of container-breeding mosquitoes to ovitraps containing water, oak or oak-pine infusion was evaluated in four suburban and four sylvatic habitats in north central Florida to ascertain species specific oviposition height preferences. A total of 48 ovitraps were suspended at 1 and 6 meters and monitored weekly for five months. Throughout our study, we collected 13,276 mosquito eggs, representing five species from four genera; the most common being Aedes triseriatus, Ae. albopictus and Orthopodomyia signifera. Significantly more Ae. triseriatus and Ae. albopictus eggs were oviposited in containers with oak and oak-pine infusions compared to water alone. Mosquito species exhibited a preference to oviposit at different heights in different habitats. Significantly more Ae. albopictus eggs were recovered from traps at 1 m in suburban habitats, while more Ae. triseriatus eggs were recovered at 6 m in sylvatic habitats.